Mommy's son
by PaperBows
Summary: Because there was a time during which Itachi whined and was careless and it took his mother no words to change that.


**I****f she happens to read this, I would like to thank Gaias Terra for being my first cough-only-cough reviewer and being so nice and honest with me through my first writing steps.**

**Disclaimer : I don't own Naruto's world nor any of its characters.**

**As always your comments, constructive criticism or flames if you this it's crap are very much welcomed, but please say something ?**

**Enjoy, thank you for reading !**

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Ages ago, when he was still warm and chubby at touch, no more older than three, before Sasuke was born, before the war begun, before his father's face was so rigid, before, when he could wake up at night and cuddle beside his mother when his father was not home.

He used to accompany her to the market and remembered humming and kicking in the air and eating some sweets mother gave him, he remembered wanting to cry out of frustration, waiting for what seemed like hours during which Mikoto poked the pineapples one by one, deciding which was the more juicy.

He whined and made a fuss over a toy he asked for, but mother told him she did not have the money for that now, her voice was a little harsh because he made people turn to them, with a softer voice, mother told him to be a good boy.

When they were home, she would cook something, to please him and -he assumed- apologise for making him wait so long, she would make candied pineapples because she knew that it hurted his tongue to eat the fruit raw.

He sat on the kitchen counter with a little apron she bought him, so that he could try to help her and taste her cookingwithout ruining his clothes and he could have sworn he saw a ghost of a smile on father's face when he saw them.

He once burned his arm by approaching boiling water too closely, and mother was so panicked, she searched for the closest cool and sticky substance she could find -which happened to be concentrated milk- and spread it over the little limb, he cried all the while, and pouted even when the pain was gone.

And then one night, he heard an argument from father and mother's room, he got out of bed and approached the wall so that he could listen better. He remembered harsh words from father's side and quivered a little, then the argument subsided, and now, his mother's soft voice could be heard.

"Why ?"

"Because I said so." The tone was superior, cold and signaled the end of the conversation.

There was nothing then than the dead silence, and he felt sad for mother because he knew that's how he would feel if those words were directed to him, he wanted to cry with her or for her if adults were ashamed to do so.

The morning after, mother was quiet and did not eat much, she told him she didn't sleep well, she told him to be good and not to cause mother to worry about him. Mother would always love him but there were times when she was too tired to show him so.

He didn't understand immediately, Fugaku came at this moment and told Itachi to come with him. He taught him the basical hand signs, and when they were finished, he showed the elder man that he remembered them all.

"That is my son." Father told him.

He was so happy then, he pleased this so demanding man, and as he ran back to tell the good news to Mikoto, he broke a vase on the way.

"Don't worry" Mother said. "We will fix it and your father won't know about it, but be careful next time."

And it came clearly to him then, that the wise child was father's child but the troublesome child was mother's.

The days passed, and he figured that to ease mother's sadness, he would not to make any more trouble, because he could be a wise child too in her presence only. He did not leave her side, and helped her with the chores so that she had less things to worry about, if before he did so mainly to taste her cooking. And sometimes mother would yell at him but that did not mean mommy did not love him, because mommy loved him even if he did not behave and he loved mommy just as much, even if she was not always sweet.

He was afraid that if he added to mommy's sorrow, mommy's heart would break and mommy would die.

"Mother, do you think you could buy me that some dango, if you have enough money ?"

She looked down at him with such a heart-warming smile.

"Of course, honey."

It was not hard to bring some happiness into mother's life when you were the good person, it was just as easy to cause her pain. When father's pride was so much as brushed, mother's heart would be shattered in return, when he was angry, he made sure his words could hit just as much as his fists. When he was happy, mother forgot everything altogether so that the two of them could be happy.

Father told them about the higher goals he sacrificed himself for, about the fights he engaged himself into, leaving aside his well-being for his family's, for his clan's and Itachi didn't doubt of the accuracy of those facts. And he could see before him great men's accomplishments, their suffering rewarded by adoration, their injuries guaranteeing them a never forgotten gratitude. He knew that when men did things leading them to forget about themselves, they often left someone behind to think of them.

He loved Fugaku, but something about him built the restrictions he did not have for Mikoto, maybe it was Mikoto's presence itself, what he was sure of was that father rippped things from mother and he figured she deserved to receive more love in return.

Mother's sacrifices were thankless and taken for granted. Who remembered them ? Who ever heard of them ? Wasn't she supposed to do all of that anyways ?

He fell one day, but mother would not have to worry about him anymore. Because crying is adding weight to the hearts of those who love you.

He dared not ask for toys anymore, because there was always the possibility that mommy could not afford it, and the knowledge of not being able to bring some -even shallow- happiness to her baby, whether or not she was not showing it, added to her frustrations and her failures.

When she seemed sad, he tried put his hand on her back like she did to his hair because he was not tall enough to reach her head.

"You are mommy's son, aren't you ?"

"Yes mommy."

One day, after months of not seeing her, he came home to a mother whose womb grew bigger, she told him that they were going to welcome a new baby, and they spent such a good time together after he proposed her to knit some of the coming little brother's clothes with her.

One 23th July, a baby came out of mother's womb. The baby didn't know anything and his heart was yet to be defined, he took a glance at mommy and wished his heart to be one of a man, because, the baby was fragile and he did not want his heart to break.

And his mother taught him without words : there were things one should submit to and not complain about, even if they did hurt, because there was a greater purpose behind, that no one but them could see a glimpse of, and that knowledge could bring the greatests form of bliss.

He thought then that mother was a so much a greater person, one that father would never be, one he knew he would look up to.

"Itachi, I leave your meal here, I know you are busy with your work, but try to eat with us from time to time."

"Thank you, mother."

Honor, he knew no more of.

Greatness, he sold long ago.

Hope and prayers he have left.

Fight and win or die trying. Defend yourself and even if they rip everything from you, you still shall keep your pride. Lunge forward and not look back. Keep your promises. Praise and follow great concepts of justice and loyalty. They fear nothing they say, and they will sacrifice themselves for the greater good. That is what a man do.

Not cry, bend over someone's will, beg, accept to run away in shame, fall face first into the muddy ground and not attempt to get back up, nor being bent on a battle they were determined to lose.

He loves his little brother.

Was his heart one of a man ?

Sasuke did not deserve one with a man's heart as last living relative, and there was no pride to go against that anyways.

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**Dedicated to my mommy (who's not even going to read this), and your mommies too dear readers.**


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